Saturday, September 5, 2009

Sometime in this century, a taboo word crept out of the dark, dusty basement of journalists’ lexicon and acquired legitimacy and visibility, both as a word and an issue: menstruation.

Now we can talk about it.

Neither impurity necessitating reclusion nor social blunder, our monthly cycle is now recognized as part of women’s sexual and reproductive needs and an issue of hygiene and dignity.

(…and I wrote “our cycle” on the third edit, it´s still not that easy to be public about it…)

Something similar happened with cancer. As philosopher Susan Sontag noted in her classic essay “Illness as a Metaphor” of 1977, the standard euphemism used in obits was that someone had died after a long illness. Ten years later, she noted “a new candor”, the word cancer uttered more freely.

One of the first stories that pushed the boundaries of candor, back in the late 1980s, described the Eritrean People’s Liberation Front rebel army’s underground factory of sanitary pads for their female fighters. This was most unusual, especially since their culture traditionally secluded menstruating women.

These days, you can read stories about the lack of sanitary pads as a reason for school absences and dropouts among teenage students in Uganda and Zimbabwe, and about creative ways of manufacturing cheap pads in India and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Last year, I commissioned and edited Polls to Polls, a series of 32 stories on women and elections in Africa for IPS. I was surprised.

In the second paragraph of the second story of the series, taboo words popped up: sanitary pads and periods, of the biological, not the grammatical kind.

A male reporter described without euphemisms the effort of Thabitha Khumalo, a Zimbabwean parliamentarian, to provide sanitary pads for her countrywomen during hyper-infltion and scarcity.

The fourth story, also written by a man, starred another taboo word – menopause. A sociologist in Guinea explained that women enter politics later than men, around menopause, when the kids are grown up, the family less critical, and the husband more supportive. To see older women portrayed as assets to society, and menopause as the door to a career, that is unusual.

Ten years ago, few male reporters would have felt comfortable writing about these topics, in these words. All the media training on gender across the continent is paying off.

Last but not least, Oprah Winfrey’s ability to discuss any issue on her TV talk show has made the personal, comfortable.

Half of humankind has, at some point in their lives, a monthly ovulation cycle - no need to be shy about it.

Mercedes Sayagues is a journalist and editor with life-long membership in the global women's movement, from her home country of Uruguay to South Africa, where she lives now.

From the local to the continental, the Fahamu Pan-African Fellowship (FPAF) program has a vision of nurturing African social justice leaders - generating contemporary, energetic, visionary and innovative thought and activism. FPAF is a one-year program that seeks to strengthen community based organisations and social movements across Africa by identifying individual community based activists with qualities of leadership and innovation, and providing them with hands-on work experience, training and development opportunities. The program aims to enhance the skills, knowledge and experience of community-based activists while increasing the effectiveness and professionalism of their affiliated organisations and movements.

Fellowship coordinatorFahamu is seeking a coordinator for its Pan-African Fellowship Program. The coordinator will be based in our Nairobi, Kenya office.

Reporting to the Deputy Director, the fellowship coordinator will be responsible for:• Developing curriculum for the Fellowship program and facilitating participatory workshops, seminars and other learning forums using diverse material and tools• Conducting briefing sessions for prospective fellows and developing fellowship application material• Identifying and coordinating the selection of host organisations, projects, fellows and mentors• Providing and coordinating fellows’ induction, monthly forums and seminars, evaluation and wrap-up workshops and seminars• Coordinating and maintaining consistent communication with fellows, host organisations, mentors and Fahamu• Moderating online discussions and forums for fellows for the continuous exchange of information, ideas, experiences, dialogue and resources• Coordinating the production of the book and video of fellows’ experiences• Providing regular updates and reports to multiple audiences on the fellowship program• Preparing financial and narrative reports at regular intervals• Fundraising, proposal writing and donor liaison for the program• Such other duties as may be required from time to time by mutual agreement You must:• Have at least five years experience working with social movements and community based organisations• Have demonstrable experience developing curriculum and training materials• Have demonstrable project leadership skills• Be highly organised and able to work under pressure and to tight deadlines• Have a demonstrable commitment to social justice and human rights in Africa• Have excellent inter-personal skills• Have excellent writing and communications skills• Be fluent in English. Fluency in Kiswahili is also preferred.• Be able to work with people from diverse backgrounds and experiences• Have budget and financial management experience• Be a self-starter, able to take initiative, and work effectively as part of a team• Be proficient in the use of word processing and spreadsheet software• Experience of using multi-media tools for multiple purposes is a plus• Be based in Nairobi with the ability to travel if and when necessary

This position is for an initial two year contract period.Please send your CV, cover letter and names of three referees to: winnie@fahamu.orgApplications close 17th December 2009. Applications received after this date will not be considered. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.Position start date: 18th January 2010This is a full time position. Competitive salary commensurate with experience.Fahamu is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

About Fahamu:Fahamu is a pan-African organisation that supports the movement for social justice in Africa. We work with social movements that address the needs of the most vulnerable and marginalised in society. Fahamu seeks to nurture these movements to become significant agents for change by enhancing individual, collective and organisational leadership, skills and knowledge, as well as by creating platforms and networks for effective advocacy, enhancing the use of diverse and innovative tactics and strategies for change, and amplifying Africa-centred voices, perspectives and solutions.

Submitted by Kemi Bello

2. Oxfam is taking in applications for OFXAM INTERNATIONAL YOUTH PARTNERSHIP, open to people below the age of 25. Deadline: october 2010. For more details please go to www.oiyp.oxfam.orgSubmitted by Yvonne Laruni.

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Welcome to the MIVOICE blog, a virtual space where MILEAD Fellows and other guest bloggers can explore their freedom of expression. We welcome comments and suggestions and we are excited to join hands in moving Africa forward, one word and one action at a time.